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Newswise — TALLAHASSEE, Fla — President Donald Trump announced Thursday plans to end the Affordable Care Act’s cost-sharing reduction payments designed to help make healthcare more affordable for low-income Americans. Repealing these subsidies is the latest in a raft of recent policy changes from the Trump administration in an effort to dismantle the ACA.

Dr. Leslie M. Beitsch, Florida State University’s chair of behavioral sciences and social medicine in the College of Medicine, is available to discuss these expansive changes to the nation’s insurance system.

Prior to joining FSU’s College of Medicine, Dr. Beitsch was the Commissioner of Health for the state of Oklahoma, where he served from June 2001 until November 2003. He has also served in the Florida Department of Health, where he held several positions over 12 years, including deputy secretary.

“The president is using a series of steps to ratchet up the level of debate regarding the sustainability of the Affordable Care Act, known more generally as Obamacare. First he is shortening the open enrollment period, while also limiting the availability of the federal exchange online system to access plans for enrollment. Most recently he is threatening to eliminate subsidy payments to insurers that will further destabilize the marketplace. And there is sure to be more coming.

“Should insurers decide to remain in the market, they will have to pass on higher costs to those seeking insurance. The net results are more uninsured, higher prices and greater federal debt.”